Moving Forward with Confidence

I was presented an interesting idea by a man who volunteers at my work. Joe is a retired schoolteacher who values a practical education. Why do we write papers in school? I suggested it was to gather and present information to our superiors, be they teachers or bosses. He told me that every time he had a semi-major choice to make in his life, he would write a detailed research paper on it. He would look up facts on cars and how to bargain and what questions to ask when looking at an apartment. I think this is an excellent idea. I have held myself back from making many major decisions in my life so far because I was so afraid I would make the wrong choice. I will no longer be afraid.

I should have begun this process while I was in high school, deciding which college to go to and what to major in. I still am not sure where to go on that, but I want to try this method out on housing arrangements. I want to know what the cost of owning a home vs renting an apartment is. I want to know what questions to ask when looking at each option and I want to know what I should do as I make the first steps towards the decision I would make.

Another idea I need to explore is a car. I have a fine car right now, but I want to know what is out there and I need to know what I am talking about when I go finally buy a new one. I know next to nothing about automobiles and I should know more than “you put the window washer fluid in here and the gas in there.”

Another idea skated across my mind. What about travelling? I don’t want children for another 10 years and I am too young to think about retirement when I have so many other steps to take in life, first. I want to travel for a couple of years after I get out of college and see new places. I would like to pick a European country and live there for a year or two, visiting the other nearby countries on weekends. Then, after those years abroad, I can make a decision on where I want to live for the rest of my life, be it in the US or Italy or Switzerland or France.

I am not averse to researching and writing. I am not afraid of papers when they come up in classes at school. This is something I haven’t tried before though. Researching for me is not a familiar subject, but I want to know. I want the knowledge to be a well-rounded person and make educated decisions on who I am and what I want. If that means a little bit of work, well, I have been raised to not shirk from that. I am doing this for me.